Sweet!
05.14.10
One of my favorite adventures in Paris was lunch at the very famous Laduree, a bakery-turned-pastry-shop-and-tea-salon started in 1862 by Louis Ernest Laduree. Famous for their classic French macaroons (above), we delighted more in an unbelievable cup of hot cocoa (below), as well as a truly fabulous lunch with pastries and espresso for dessert.
The interior of Laduree is amazing… frilly and gilded and very Marie Antoinette!
Everything is beautifully designed, including the menu (above), a perfect-bound gorgeously printed book that describes every single pastry (dozens upon dozens) in loving detail.
If you prefer visuals, you only need to stroll over to the pastry case and TRY to choose which one you’d like to have brought to you.
Of course we couldn’t bring home pastries, but pictured above are all the petite souvenirs from lunch. It was all I could do not to nick one of those danged menus. 🙂
We did buy little gift boxes of the dear macaroons to bring home, but after reading that they hold up best over a 3-day period, we gobbled them all up ourselves and have only the lovely boxes to show for it. (Sorry).
What’s really funny to me is the uncanny relationship of my Etsy shop LaPatisserie to all things LaDuree. And I’m here to tell you that I had NEVER heard of the famous bakery when I conceptualized my online “French” pastry/jewelry shop, complete with alter-ego owner, Mme. Eclore. If you can figure out the secret to Mme. E’s name, email me… the first person who does will be the recipient of a free ‘Qu’ils mangent de la brioche’ (Let Them Eat Cake) ring! Bon apetit!
